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Toronto eyes rotation depth at Winter Meetings

Toronto eyes rotation depth at Winter Meetings

MLB.com Hot Stove analyst Jim Duquette looks at the moves the Blue Jays might still be looking to make during this offseason

By Gregor Chisholm
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MLB.com |

NASHVILLE -- Blue Jays fans will soon find out whether general manager Alex Anthopoulos has one more trick up his sleeve.

Toronto already finds itself in an ideal position as the annual Winter Meetings are set to officially open on Monday morning at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Anthopoulos believes there is enough talent in place to make a run at the postseason, and now it's just a matter of filling in the cracks.

The Blue Jays enter these meetings with the main goal of continuing to build pitching depth within their organization. The club has a strong starting five of Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Brandon Morrow, Ricky Romero and J.A. Happ, but there is an obvious void behind that group.

Rookie right-hander Chad Jenkins and perhaps lefty Brett Cecil are the only two candidates to fill in, and following a 2012 campaign that was decimated by injuries the lack of options is something Anthopoulos wants to change.

Anthopoulos will personally attend these meetings along with several members of his front-office staff. Recently-hired manager John Gibbons also will be in attendance and will hold court with the media late Monday afternoon.

Gibbons has already talked at length about the club's recent 12-player deal with Miami and the free agent signing of Melky Cabrera, but this availability could help paint the picture of what his lineup will look like next season, plus his thoughts on the running game and potential bounceback candidates.

It's possible the Blue Jays' catching situation will become a primary topic of conversation during these Winter Meetings. Toronto has a pair of Major League caliber catchers -- J.P. Arencibia and John Buck -- on its 40-man roster, with top prospect Travis d'Arnaud apparently ready to take the next step.

There are multiple teams in the market for a starting catcher, and that should make Anthopoulos a popular man in Nashville. The likelihood of Anthopoulos pulling the trigger on a deal, though, took a hit when veteran catcher Bobby Wilson was non-tendered Friday night.

Keep checking bluejays.com on a regular basis this week where we'll be providing daily coverage from the meetings along with multimedia content to provide a closer look at the happenings at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.

What do you think the Blue Jays should do this week? Should they trade either Arencibia or Buck? Or should they keep their depth behind the plate and instead take a run at a free-agent pitcher to help round out the roster?

Comment below and then keep checking back for all the breaking news and updates regarding this Blue Jays team that all of a sudden has become a force to be reckoned with in the American League East.